The Old Testament makes up two-thirds of the Bible and lays the foundation on which the rest of Scripture stands. Yet most churches devote less than half their teaching to the OT.

Where do you start studying the Old Testament, and where do you start teaching it? With Dr. John Walton’s Mobile Ed Bundle, you’ll walk through the background and typology of the Old Testament, laying the framework for your future studies.

In his introduction, Walton explains three things to keep in mind while studying the Old Testament:

With Logos Mobile Ed, you learn in an innovative mobile learning environment designed to leverage the power of Logos Bible Software. It’s a biblical and theological education that only Logos could design and deliver.

Last fall, we introduced a new book to help preachers illustrate their sermons: 300 Illustrations for Preachers. This collection of powerful illustrations, selected and edited by Jim L. Wilson, is categorized by theme and Scripture reference. It integrates seamlessly into your Logos library and is easily searchable using the Sermon Starter Guide in Logos 5.

For example, let’s say I’m preaching about the image of God, and I want to emphasize the importance of every individual. Searching through 300 Illustrations for Preachers by topic, I find this:

Undervaluing an Original

Theme: Image of God

Matthew 10:29–31; Luke 12:6–7

“Oliver Chanler of Geneseo, NY explained why no one had ever cleaned a portrait of George Washington that hung in his parents’ home. ‘Suspect that’s because no one thought it was of great value.’ The family had always supposed the portrait was a common copy. Appraisers declared it an original Gilbert Stuart portrait worth around $300,000. It eventually sold at auction for $925,000.

We treat those things of great value with more care than things we consider common. Can we remember that each person is an original with great worth in the Lord’s eyes?”

—Jim L. Wilson and Rodger Russell

I can find this illustration by searching thematically (image of God) or by Scripture (Matthew 10:29–31 or Luke 12:6–7). I even have a link to the original article in case I want to dig deeper. So however I chose to prepare my sermon, I have an easily accessible and effective way to help my audience remember that all people, no matter their appearance, are special because they are made in God’s image.

Logos Mobile Education brings together renowned professors, an incredible theological library, amazing software tools and features, and an online academic community that brings it all right to you.

This revolutionary education program leverages the power of Logos Bible Software to create an innovative learning environment that’s completely mobile. It’s the kind of biblical and theological education that only Logos could design and deliver.

Douglas Moo, the highly respected Kenneth T. Wessner Professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, covers this important epistle’s themes. Dr. Moo follows Paul’s arguments while addressing important historical and theological considerations, as well as current ideas in Pauline studies.

Douglas Moo Course Promo

With Mobile Ed, you’re getting an education built on the best technology:

The high-definition videos are filmed in short segments that you can return to as often as you’d like. Dr. Moo’s teaching is filmed in a one-to-one format that helps give the class a personalized feel.

Videos are enriched with links to the Logos library. From the lectures, you can jump into Logos 5 and take your study even deeper. Follow along as the video connects you to the right book, page, and paragraph. Plus, like your library, video lectures are fully searchable.

Screencast Logos 5 videos translate what you’re learning into cutting-edge study techniques. Not only are you receiving a valuable biblical education; you’re learning skills you’ll draw from in your ministry for years to come.

The centerpiece of the Mobile Ed courseware is the Logos digital library, the premier biblical research tool for the twenty-first century. No other resource puts as much standard academic material for theology and biblical studies at your fingertips and at the pace of your life. No other educational program lets you take the library with you.

The Old Testament constitutes two-thirds of our Bible, but most churches devote less than half their teaching to it. Where does one begin making use of the Old Testament? In these two courses, Dr. John Walton lectures on the background and typology of the Old Testament and the origins of Genesis 1–3, opening the doors for pastors, students, and laypeople to begin studying and learning from the OT. Successful students will come away with a new interpretive framework through which to analyze the Old Testament, exegeting and wrestling with the text on its own terms.

These three courses—in counseling and personal and professional development—build the fundamental character principles every growing and learning Christian must have. Elyse Fitzpatrick brings over 24 years of Bible-focused counseling to your education, helping you understand the importance of a rock-solid identity in Christ and teaching tried-and-true methods for imparting this identity to everyone you meet.

Honor God. Love others.

As companies grow, rules and regulations often increase, and interaction with management often decreases. At Logos, I’ve experienced just the opposite. In fact, a couple years ago, our employee manual was trimmed to just four words: “Honor God. Love others.” Yes, we have an employee manual, but as you can see, it’s based more on how we treat each other, and less about day-to-day rules.

We’re free to make suggestions, free to try big things, and even free to fail: Recently, a fellow coworker made a mistake that cost us a lot of money. Our CEO, Bob Pritchett, responded by saying, “We made a mistake. We own it, we learn from it, and we welcome the chance to show our employees and our customers that we mean what we say about our values and ‘The Logos Way.'”

The Logos Way is what leads to us employees feeling trusted and appreciated. It’s why we give such positive feedback on sites like Glassdoor. Maybe it’s just our way of saying “thank you.” Because when employees are happy, it affects everything—our morale, our products, and our customers.

Right now, you can pre-order Greg Laurie’s sermon archive on Pre-Pub for 33% off! We recently had the chance to talk with Laurie about the people and experiences that have influenced him most as a preacher.

1. As you look back over the years, can you think of messages or series that made as big an impact on you as they did on your audience?

In recent years, I have become a much more serious student of heaven and the afterlife. The reason for this is that our oldest son, Christopher, died five years ago in a tragic automobile accident. When someone close to you—especially a child—dies, you are forever changed.

My son put his faith in Jesus Christ and is in heaven today. I want to know more about what he is doing and what heaven is like. I recently taught the book of Revelation, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, and I can assure you it was not merely some academic exercise. The word “revelation” means “unveiling,” and as I studied—then taught—from this great sweeping book, much was unveiled for me.

Revelation unveils so much on the spiritual realm—on heaven and what we will do there.

Not to mention the fact that there is a special blessing promised to the person who reads, hears, and keeps the words of Revelation (Revelation 1:3 NKJV). I know that I was blessed by studying and teaching it. I trust those that heard it were, too.

2. What is your process for preparing a message?

First I read the text I am going to teach on. I read it again and again, in multiple translations.

I pray to capture what is being communicated contextually. It is never my intent or desire to impose my view on a text of Scripture, but rather to have the Scripture impose its view on me, so to speak.

Then I begin a process of careful study. I want to know what the original language says, of course. Then there is understanding the time’s unique cultural ideas, which might help reveal what that verse meant to the people reading it when it was written.

After that, I seek the meaning of the verse for myself and the people I will be speaking to. This is why Logos is of such value. There is nothing else quite like it, and it only gets better every year. I begin to go through trusted commentaries and get the insights of those who have written and taught on the text I’m doing exegesis on. Having done that, I begin dumping the data into a Word document. I don’t really worry about an outline, apart from what the text dictates. Once it’s all in the document, I start developing it into a proper message with illustrations, etc.

I find that here it starts taking shape, and I’ll often come up with the title at the end. I then print it out and write comments in the margins right up until I deliver the message. Sometimes I’ll even edit the message on the fly as I give it, bringing up some points sooner rather than later. The goal and prayer is that, at this point, the Holy Spirit will guide and lead. It is only when you have immersed yourself in a text that you have the liberty to do this, as you know your topic well.

As one country preacher put it, “I read myself full. I pray myself hot. I let myself go!” It is essential that we as students, and especially as teachers, of the Bible believe that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV).

It is not my job to “make the Bible interesting” or even relevant. The Bible is already relevant. It is “God-breathed.” My job, when I get into the pulpit, is to “let the lion out of the cage” and trust that God will honor and use His Word to impact lives. He promises that His Word will not return void (Isaiah 55:11 NKJV).

3. Did you find your voice and style of preaching right away, or did you start off emulating the styles of other pastors and teachers?

Like any other preacher, I strongly emulated others when I first started. By the way, I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. You’re effectively developing a template, and that’s important.

It’s a good thing to acknowledge the people who influence you, and not make apologies for it, as others may even see it more than you do. One day, perhaps someone will emulate you.

Paul told Timothy to “commit these things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” Our job is to pass it on.

4. When you look at teaching in the church today, what’s encouraging you? What are you enthusiastic about?

I’m enthusiastic about a generation of younger people who are becoming passionate about teaching the Bible and preaching the gospel. Christian books continue to sell quickly, and now, with quick access to online media, people can download sermons; millions and millions do. We must be a biblically literate church, and that comes from careful study of the Bible. I am thrilled people want access to my sermon collection, which has amassed over 40 years. I hope to see these truths passed on.

If you research the Bible, prepare small group lessons, or preach, it would take you at least 1,360 hours of preparation to work through 1 Corinthians and supporting literature. That’s the equivalent of 170 workdays. How do I know this? Because we put more than 1,360 hours into Lexham Bible Guide: 1 Corinthians to save you time. Just think what you could do with that many hours:

Take about 12 semester-length college courses

Conduct more than 900 counseling sessions with members of your congregation, spending about 1.5 hours per session

Write your own book on 1 Corinthians—since you’ll have the historical and cultural background and the various viewpoints of top commentators from working through Lexham Bible Guide: 1 Corinthians

Develop 17 new outreach programs, spending about 80 hours planning each one

Work through a five-hour first-aid training course—272 times

Train approximately 170 volunteer staff members, spending eight hours with each one

Log all the required flight time to obtain a private pilot’s certificate, weather permitting

Students

If you’re studying the humanities, Noet gives you the academic advantage.

1. Noet bundles help you learn more, faster. You can search your whole library, see Greek and Latin definitions with a tap, save notes across all your devices, and more. You’ll spend less time flipping through tables of contents and scrolling through JSTOR, and more time on the real reading, writing, and learning.

Here’s just some of how Noet helps you out:

2. Noet bundles are a way better deal than textbooks. Right now, you’re probably paying hundreds of dollars for just one semester’s worth of books. With Noet, that same money gets you entire discipline-specific libraries. For just a fraction of what you already have to spend, add the Noet library that fits your study—a secret weapon that’ll help you for the rest of your academic career.

3. Noet bundles fit your major or emphasis. You’ll get the core texts in your field of study:

Professors

You’re an expert in your field, so you want tools that know it just as well as you do. Tools that help you plan lessons, make connections, build sound arguments, and draw out nuance. Tools that make you even better at your job.

With Noet, you can:

Run powerful cross-library searches to find the arguments and references you need to know.

Set a primary source to scroll in sync with its commentary or translation.

See Greek and Latin gloss and morphology with a tap.

Save lesson-prep time with Noet’s quote slides and timelines.

Replace those inscrutable handwritten marginalia with highlights and searchable notes that sync across all your devices.

Don’t want to use up your book budget? Make it easy with a payment plan: you can lock in your launch savings, start using your new library right away, and spread out the payments over up to 12 months. (First, you can even try out Noet for free: download the 1,114-volume Perseus Classics Collection and the free Noet app and get to know the platform.)

Biblical scholars

Your core scholarly interest isn’t philosophy, history, literature, or the classics. It’s Scripture. But even if the Classical Foundations Bundle isn’t for you, you can still benefit from Logos’ work in the humanities:

Avid readers & lifelong learners

Maybe you don’t read to improve your grades or prepare a paper. Maybe you read for the sheer pleasure of connecting with like minds across the centuries. “If you spend enough time reading,” said David Foster Wallace, “You find certain writers who [make] your brain vibrate like a tuning fork . . . . And when that happens, reading those writers—not all of whom are modern—becomes a source of unbelievable joy.”

The whole point of Noet is to break down the barriers between you and the text:

Even if you don’t speak Greek or Latin, you’ll appreciate original-language nuance.

Even if you’re not a trained historian, you’ll follow lines of influence through history.

You’ll get a library preselected for quality, making it easier to find books you love.

Plus, if you’re anything like us, your plans for 2014 involve lots of learning. Noet’s a really great way to hack your education: the free app lets you take otherwise wasted time—your bus ride, the five- or ten-minute chunks you spend waiting in line—and turn it into personal growth. Noet bundles help you optimize your learning even further by equipping you with the very best books and study tools.

Jason, who currently works as a youth pastor, is pursuing his master’s in theology. Kyle is in his third semester of an MDiv; he works at his local church as a youth and young-adult pastor. We recently had the opportunity to talk with Jason and Kyle about life at seminary:

What inspired you to attend seminary?

Jason: My youth pastor was a DTS graduate, and he really showed the value of studying and understanding Scripture. Later on, Kyle and I spent four and a half months in India doing ministry work. There I met a lot of people who would love the opportunity to go to seminary. Seeing that made me aware of what an opportune time this is in my life to learn about God’s Word in order that I might further His kingdom. So many people in India asked us to share our testimonies, so to learn how to do that more effectively is important to me.

What do you hope to do after seminary?

Jason: I hope to be involved in international missions. Transportation and communication have been transformed by globalization, so why not use the benefits of globalization to share the gospel?

Kyle: I want to be working in church leadership for the rest of my life. To be part of a place that fosters community and relationship building. I’m currently working as a youth and young-adult pastor at my church, and it’s awesome to be working with an age group that’s so naturally inquisitive. They’re asking questions and starting to figure out the big reasons behind their faith. Being part of a community that can help answer those questions has been a huge blessing.

What’s your favorite part of seminary?

Jason: The conversations that happen after class, both with peers and with professors. You hear that lecture that stirs you up and makes you think about your faith and God in completely new ways. Then you talk about it. It’s awesome to be surrounded by godly people who also want to digest God’s Word and think biblically.

Kyle: Seminary has changed my life. Simply knowing God has changed my life, but seminary has made me in awe of Him in so many new ways.

What advice do you have to give to anyone interested in attending seminary?

Jason: Obviously, you don’t have to go to seminary to be a Christian. But there is a higher level of study and knowledge in the Bible that needs to be learned in order for it to pass down through generations. Listen to whether you’re being called to do this—to learn and communicate the intricate details and lessons the Bible gives us. Ask yourself if you feel called to church leadership.

Kyle: Be sure to get plugged into the local church. It’s easy to throw all your time and effort into your studies and the intellectual side of seminary, but everything you learn is to ultimately build Christ’s kingdom. And that happens through the relational side. Being involved in my local church makes seminary so much more real and directly applicable. I go to class and study the texts and I automatically see lessons that I want to communicate with the people I pastor.

Any final remarks?

Jason: I feel extremely blessed to be at Dallas Theological Seminary and to be able to utilize Logos resources. However, the sufficiency found in Christ and His willingness to come down to Earth to save us is infinitely better. How wonderful it is to serve a God who blesses us with all of these gifts.

* * *

Current Bible college and seminary students: enter to win the next scholarship! The deadline is January 10, in just a few days. Entering is easy—just watch a 70-second Logos demo video and fill out a short application. You’ll be entered to win a $1,000 scholarship, plus a base package worth over $8,000 in print.

An in-depth analysis of Hebrews

The Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges: Hebrews focuses on the Greek text of Hebrews in relation to the book’s history and the questions surrounding it. It’s part of the 21-volume Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges, written by 15 prominent scholars.

“We could not point out better handbooks for the student of the Greek.” —Expository Times

Farrar’s volume is known for its easy-to-understand style and its exegetical richness. The collection features verse-by-verse interpretation, historical facts, doctrinal discussion, word studies, and much more. Among the contributing scholars are Alfred Plummer, H. C. G. Moule, and Arthur Carr: recognized authorities on biblical Greek, who pass on their understanding of the Scriptures to you.

The CBC series is famous for its evangelical scholarship. It equips you with important exegetical and theological knowledge: you’ll study the message and history of each key passage of Scripture, learning about both text and context.

Valuable for all students of the Bible

For pastors and other Christian leaders, the CBC is a big help in understanding, applying, and explaining God’s Word. For scholars, it’s a great way to look at the Bible’s core themes. And its readability even makes it a good choice for personal Bible studies.

“. . . a treasure house of insight into the biblical text. Written by some of the best scholars working today, it is an essential tool for pastors, students, church leaders, and lay people who want to understand the text and know how it relates to our lives today. Like the New Living Translation text it uses as its base, this commentary series is extremely readable.”